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Hailing originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Barbara Klar opened her first store, Clear Metals, in NYC's East Village during the mid - 80's. In 1991 she moved that store into the Soho section of NYC where it was for ten years until June of 2001. Since that time, Barbara has moved her studio to Accord, New York, where she is currently expanding her website, her wholesale line and her special order commission work.

C lear Metals is a showcase to Barbara Klar's fascinating collection, a unique presentation of one-of-a kind and limited edition gold and silver jewelry which is completely designed and crafted by her in her Brooklyn studios. Originally a trained metalsmith, she was listed in NY Magazine as being one of the few jewelry designers who "will lend her eclectic touch to create just about anything her clients request, from unique wedding bands and pearl-drop earrings to chunky ID bracelets and mediaeval - style chains".

B arbara's work has been recognized on the editorial pages of Vogue, WWD, the New York Times and In-Style Magazine as well as featured on television shows such as "Friends", "Veronica's Closet" and "Judging Amy". Film credits have included " Meet The Parents", "Wall Street", "High Art". and the Eurythmic's "Missionary Man" video.

Symbolic, personal and timeless, Barbara Klar creates jewelry that becomes today's modern heirlooms. She combines elements of Celtic, Egyptian, and American Indian cultures with the symbology of contemporary Street Graffiti. Her cutting - edge designs often challenge the limitations of fine jewelry through her use of precious materials that are worked and designed into pieces that reveal a modern sensibility with a keen historical edge.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Isn’t it
odd that just when you are feeling really good about the work that you do,
someone else comes along and does it way so much better? Crushing, isn’t it?
That is the point where I pick myself off the floor and repeat my mantra:
“There is a market for EVERYTHING”, (including what I do).

Over the
last several weeks, various people kept saying to me, “you should see the
show at the NYC Museum of Art & Design”. People were really taken with
Daniel Brush and his work. When another friend sent me a link to a NY Times
article about his
show, I read the article and was blown away. His work is both sculptural and
jewel-like and is produced solely by himself, a self-taught goldsmith. This guy taught himself
to do granulation, for god’s sake. The pictures of him in his studio with
ancient, Victorian machinery that he single-handedly restored was awesome.
Also, the article stated that he rarely leaves his studio on 23rd St. and doesn’t sell his work through any store, gallery or
agent. He just works: Quietly and for many years on a single piece. And did I
mention the pieces he creates? Jars of steel with high-karat gold inlay.
Granulation. Pave-set 17th century rose-cut diamonds in
“drawings” made of steel. Bake-lite whimsical jewelry with beautiful and
precious pave elements. Some pieces are not jewelry at all but feature layers
of blued steel with high-karat gold and granulated tiny butterflies or bees.
These pieces are more like follies because they incorporate tiny magnets for an
interactive puzzle of re-arrangement possibilities.

Several
days prior to the show’s closing, I found myself in the midst of his massive
show at the museum. Each piece was more detailed and beautiful than the next.
There was a room full of his sculptural “jewelry”, a room full of shadowbox
“sculpture” and a room full of textural line drawings. I have no idea how he
made any of it.

Upon
turning a corner of the show, I heard and noticed a small cluster of people
around a small man who was gesticulating and speaking with a voice like Tom
Waits. I listened closely and yes, it was Daniel Brush himself! This was indeed
serendipitous and I tried to position myself inconspicuously to hear his golden
words of wisdom. He was so approachable that I loomed bravely in his shadow
until everyone else had fallen away. How did he work, I asked him? He is a late
riser. Eats the same thing every day: Cheerios for breakfast and pea soup for
lunch. Sweeps the studio floor for two hours. Works from 2pm to 5 in the
morning. Talks to no one. Doesn’t make work to sell, but makes work to
challenge and interest himself. If a piece takes three years to make, how does
he price it and whom does he sell it to? He wouldn’t answer my pricing question
but seemed more intent on WHO bought the piece, that it would go to a good
home, that they would love and care for it because it was so hard for him to
let go of his work. He prefers to sell on a handshake.

It was
also interesting to note that his wife was there. She was a smallish woman with
long blond hair and very sad eyes. I noticed that she he had her left wrist in
a cast when she slipped quietly away from the crowd. I wondered what her
experience was like, living with a partner who worked incessantly and
apparently took himself incredibly seriously and had enormous pride that one
could interpret as monumental ego.

My
experience speaking with Daniel Brush was that of a true admirer. I was
impressed with his IQ and tenacity. I was inspired by the manifestation of work
so beautiful that it belonged (and is) in the Smithsonian. He mentioned that he
has about 10 collectors who purchase his work and this is what has kept him
afloat for these past 30 years.

I could
not help but question the inherent rights of the male sex, however. The love of
a good woman, keeping him afloat in lean times and mostly running a home while
the genius creates. The unnecessary “burden of proof” that accompanies the
god-given trust-worthy and capable male species. Talent is not random, it is
perfected. But luck and support CAN be quite random.

Oh well,
back to the studio and the drawing board. I need to create my own little
masterpieces of genius. I just wish I had three years to work uninterruptedly
on a single piece and not worry about when I last ate, or how to pay the
mortgage. Time to sweep the floor, or get up off of it.